I have been hearing this stat more and more this year and I really dont know what qualifies a reliever to earn a "hold".But considering the way the game is setup this day and age with relief pitching having defined roles out of the bullpen I would think this stat could be a good reference for those relief pitchers that wouldnt normally get as much as attention as closers and starters.I could see it as a bargaining chip for those negotiating future deals.

I have been hearing this stat more and more this year and I really dont know what qualifies a reliever to earn a "hold".But considering the way the game is setup this day and age with relief pitching having defined roles out of the bullpen I would think this stat could be a good reference for those relief pitchers that wouldnt normally get as much as attention as closers and starters.I could see it as a bargaining chip for those negotiating future deals.

 

I think it is already a bargaining chip for middle relievers.

*side note*

 

The "HOLD" was created by John Dewaan of the Chicago Baseball Report back in 1986.

Dewaan is now a big shot at STATS INC.

He is also the Stats guy that is on Murph's show every week on the Score.

My friends and I have been doing a fantasy league on yahoo since 2000 and have used holds every year as a scoring category, while always wondering why it wasn't a widely regarded stat to give some props to the middle relievers. Now that the mainstream (and especially agents who can use it to get their clients more money) has gotten their hands on the hold stat, I expect it to become more and more known every year.

Edited April 13, 200818 yr by whitesoxfan101